Water metering flush valve assembly



p 3 1952 I P. ROMANELLI ET AL 2,512,187

r WATER METERING FLUSH VALVE ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 10, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 mfl I I v m. 2

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1 1 1 I 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 i 5 A rv-aamars Patented Sept. 30, 1952 WATER- METERING FLUSH VALVE ASSEMBLY Pat Romanelli and Charles-Miller, New York, N. Y.

Application August 10, 1950, Serial No. 178,610-

This invention relates to improvements: in flush automatically. This-measured amount of wateris a relatively large amount, and cannot be regulated by the user once thehandle; is. actuated. Since, in many instances, only a small amount. of water is required forflushing the use of the conventional flush. valve can bexuneconomical. and wasteful.

It an object. of this invention to. providev an improved flush valve; in which the. usual large metered amount of. water; or a smaller. metered amount of water may be. discharged for flushing at. the selection of. the user, upon the: proper actuation or the operating: handle.

Another object. ofithe invention. is the. provision. of' a flush valve. of the character described in which the large or small; amounts of water are dispensed. automatically upon. proper selected actuation of." theoperating handle.

Other: objects: and advantages of the inventionv will be readily apparent in the course. of the following specification when taken in, connection with the; accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 a side elevational view of the improved flush. valve assembly with portions thereof shown in: vertical. section, and the parts thereof: shown in their inoperative position;

Fig. 2 is va. slde elevational view partially in section of a. portion oi the. flush valve assembly, 7

showing the parts thereof in a first operative position; i f

Fig; 3 is a side elevational view partially in section similar to Fig. 2, but showing the parts of 6 Claims. (01. lev es?) includes a, lateral inlet extension it, a. dependin outlet extension I 2... a lateral handle extension l3, and, an integral discharge tube 14..

The discharge tube l4 extends vertically through the center of easing: ill from the upper end of. said. casin [0 to the outlet extension l2. and isopen at. both ends. The. upper end; of the dischar e tube. I4 is centrally spaced from the walls of casing I'll, defining apressure; chamber l5 withincasing l-0.-. Saidp-ressure. chamber 15 is open at its top end, and. also communicateswith the inlet. extension I l.

The. casing 10 also contains a valve. unit,.which comprises a. hollow metal pressure, dome It, a resilientv diaphragm [1, a. valve cylinder [8; and a poppet valve. [9.

The pressure dome t6. is of sufficient size to. seat upon the top open end. of casing l0, covering the pressure. chamber 15 and they discharge tube 14. The resilient diaphragm. I1 is secured across the. bottom of pressure dome l6 by cementing along its. peripheral. edge. Diaphragm l1; con.- tai'ns a circular central opening through which the valve cylinder l8 extends. Said valve cylinder I8 has an enlarged upper portion. [8a which. is sized to fit slid'ably within the discharge tube M. The. upper portion contains. in its top surface a. Well. or recess I812 which serves. as a valve seat. The; valve seat 18h may have a rubber washer 2i)v fixed to. its. bottom surface, ormay be lined with rubber- The upper portion [8a of valve cylinder l8 also contains a. circumferential groove. or slot 2|. Th central opening: of diaphragm I1 fits tightly around saidgroove; 2| with the edges of'said cen-. tral opening secured. within the circumferential groove, as by cementing, to provide a. l'eaksproof seal.

In. valve units of this type, the. resilientdia- Phrgam I! is made of a. flexible material such as rubber so. that. it, is. bendable and compressible. The stem. l9a; of poppetv valve I9. extends through the valve cylinder I8 and depends be-. yond the bottom of said valve cylinder [8. The

head lfi'b of poppetvalve l8; has a. planar bottom surface, so that said head lab. lies flat within valve seat l8b,. providing awater-tight s l acros the top of valve cylinder 18...

A cap or cover member 22 is. thread'edlysecured to the. top of casing to in the usual manner. When cap 22 is. turned to its: secured position, itclamps the. pressure dome t6 and its attached diaphragm II against the marginal upper edge, of casing lll.

A metallic, insert member 23' extends through 3 the wall of diaphragm I1. Said insert member 23 has a through-and-through bore 24 of small diameter.

The lateral inlet extension II is internally threaded for attachment of a conventional coupling unit 25 which includes a freely rotatable nut 26 by means of which the inlet extension II may be coupled to a-water pipe leading to a suitable source of water supply. In valve units of this type, the water must be supplied under pressure.

The outlet extension I2 bears a threaded nut 21 which is adapted to compress a resilient washer 28 for coupling said outlet extension to a pipe leading to the bowl of a toilet or the like.

Thus far, the construction of the flush valve assembly previously described, is conventional and well known. The conventional flush unit is adapted to permit the flow of a predetermined, metered amount of water through discharge tube I4, upon actuation of a handle which is mounted in handle extension I3 by a ball joint. When the handle is pivoted in any direction, the poppet valve I9 is tilted, and a metered amount of water is discharged, this metered amount of water being dependent upon the size of the bore 24 in insert 23 of diaphragm I1, and therefore, being constant every time the handle is actuated. There is, therefore, no manner in which the user may discharge a lesser amount'of water, since the entire metered amount will be discharged automatically upon actuation of the handle.

The present invention comprises a novelvalve and handle structure, which co-act to enable the user to selectively dispense a metered amount of water of the usual large quantity, or a lesser metered amount of water, the selection being made by pivoting the handle in eitheran' upward or downward direction.

The outer surface of handle extension I3 is threaded to receive a nut 38 which rigidly couples a tubular handle casing 3I to said handle extension I3. The handle casing 3I contains the hemispherical inner end portion 32 of the handle member 33. The outer end of handle member 33 extends exteriorly of handle casing 3I, and is located for manual actuation. A horizontal pivot pin 34 pivotally connects the inner end portion 32 of handle member 33 to the handle casing 3|, so that said handle member 33 is pivotable only in a vertical direction. The hemispherical inner end portion 32 has a planar end surface 32a.

Aguide block 35 fits within the open outer end of handle extension I3. This guide block 35 has a peripheral flange 36 adjacent its outer end which abuts the outer front surface of handle extension I3, and is held rigidly in this position by the inward clamping pressure of nut upon handle casing 3|. The guide block has an outer cylindrical extension 31 extending outwardly beyond the peripheral flange 36, said extension 37 being externally threaded for coupling to matching internal threading of the handle casing 3|.

In the assembled position of the handle unit, a washer 38 may be interposed between the peripheral flange 36 of guide block 35 and the outer surface of handle extension I3.

The guide block contains a pair of verticallyalined cylindrical bores 40 and M. Said bores 40 and 4! contain respective cylindrical tilt pins 42 and 43 which are slidable therein. Each of said tilt pins 42 and 43 has an enlarged head 44 which has a planar outer surface. A pair of compression springs 45 and 43 encircle the outer ends of the respective tilt pins 42 and 43 between 4 the guide block 35 and the pin heads 44, said springs 45 and 45 urging the heads 44 of the respective pins 42 and 43 away from said guide block 35 and into flat abutment with the planar end surface32a of handle 33.

The pressure of both springs 45 and 46 is also suflicient to maintain the handle member 33 in its normal inoperative horizontal position shown in Fig. 1.

The inner ends of tilt pins 42 and 43 in their inoperative positions of Fig. 1, abut the lower end of the stem I9a of poppet valve I9, or are slightly spaced from the stem I9a.

A yoke-shaped latch 47 is coupled to the lower tilt pin 43. As shown in Fig. 4, the legs of said latch 41 straddle the pins 42 and 43 and are pivotally attached to pin 43 by a pivot pin 48. The latch 41 has a notched portion 49 which forms a lateral upper terminal latch tooth 59. This latch tooth 50 has a central recess or opening 5|, shown in Fig. 4.

The uppermost tilt pin 42 bears a rigidly-fixed sleeve or ring 52 which is positioned to abut the front surface of the latch 41in the inoperative position of the tilt pins 42 and 43 shown in Fig. l. The inner edge of guide block 35 has a lateral protuberance 53 which abuts the rear inner surface of latch 41.

A vertical by-pass bore 54 of small diameter extends through the/enlarged upper portion We of valve cylinder IB, and through the diaphragm I'I. Said by-pass bore 54 connects the pressure dome I6 with the interior of discharge tube I4.

The valve cylinder I8 is of appreciably lesser diameter than the discharge tube I4. Said valve cylinder I8 is preferably provided with spaced lateral vanes 55 which maintain said valve cylinder I8 in a, centered position within discharge tube I4. A needle valve assembly is mounted on the outer wall of valve cylinder I8 between said vanes 55 and beneath by-pass bore 54. This valve assembly comprises a vertical needle valve 55 which is slidably mounted in brackets 51 which are integral with or rigidly fixed to the outer wall of valve cylinder IS. The needle valve 56 has a lateral projection or pin 58, and a lug 59 at its bottom end. A compression spring is interposed between the pin 58 and the lowermost bracket 57, said spring 60 urging'the needle valve 56 to an upward position in which the point of needle valve 56 is located within and closes off the bottom end of by-pass bore 54.

The lug 59 of needle valve 5 6 is normally located in a position in which the latch tooth 50 engages said lug 59, as shown in Fig. 1. When the latch 4! is pivoted forwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, the latch tooth 50 remains in engagement with the lug 59, the stem of needle valve 56 sliding within the central opening 5| of latch tooth 50. When the latch 41 is pivoted rearwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, the latch tooth 50 is brought out of engagement with lug 59.

In the normal inoperative position of the flush valve assembly shown in Fig. 1, water is supplied under pressure to inlet extension II, said water filling the pressure chamber I5. The pressure dome I6 is also filled with water, this Water communicating with the water in pressure chamber I5 through the bore 24of diaphragm insert 23, so that the water pressure within pressure dome I6 is equal to the water pressure in pressure chamber I5. This water pressure in pressure dome I6 bears against the top surface of poppet valve head I9b, pressing said valve head I9b to a firm seated position in valve seat I311. 1 Pressure on valve head I9b also depresses the valve'cylinder I8 and the center of diaphragm I1, so that the central bottom surface of diaphragm I1 presses against the top surface of discharge tube I4, providing a water-tight seal there'about. In this inoperative position, therefore, water cannot escape from the pressure chamber I5"thro'ugh the dis.- charge tube I4 or from the pressure dome. I6 through the valve cylinder I8.

In order to dispense the normalrnetered amount of water through the valve assembly,.the handle member 33 is pivoted downwardly as shown in Fig. 2. The planar end surface 3'2c'oi handle member 33 bears against the head 440i lower tilt pin 43 and slides said tilt pin 43 inwardly through the bore 4| of guide block 35, against the tension of compression spring 46. The'lower end of the latch 41 moves inwardly with the tilt pin 43, and since the upper end of latch 41 isgheld from forward movement by the ring 52 of upper tilt pin 42, the latch 41 is pivoted rearwardly on pivot pin 48 to a position in which latch tooth 59 is held well spaced from the lug 59 of needle valve 56. The spring 60 therefore maintains the point of needle valve 53 in the bottomol by-pass bore 6 dome I8,' and the longer the time in which water flows through discharge tube l8. 7

When a smaller metered amount of water is Y desired to be dispensed, the operating handle 33 54, so that water cannot escape from pressure.

dome I6 through said by-pass bore 54.

When the lower tilt pin 43 is slid inwardly, it strikes the lower end of poppet valve stem I911. tilting the poppet valve I9 so that its head 2i is tilted in valve seat I 82). The head pressure in pressure dome I6 is thus broken as water flows from pressure dome I6 through the valve seat I8b and into valve cylinder I8. The pressure of the water in pressure chamber I5 is new greater than the pressure in pressure dome I6, so that this water pressure against the bottom surface of resilient diaphragm I1, raises the central portion of diaphragm I1 out of sealed engagement with the top rim of discharge tube I4, and also raises the enlarged upper portion I'Ba of valve cylinder I8 out of the discharge tube I 4. The water supplied under pressure through the inlet extension II isnow free to flow thorugh pressure chamber i5 directly into the top of discharge tube I4 and through said discharge tube to a toilet bowl or the like.

When the operating handle 33 is released, pressure of spring 46 will bring the lower tilt pin 43 to its normal position of Fig. 1, in which its head 44 is alined with the head of upper tilt pin 42, thus bringing the operating handle 33 to its inoperative horizontal position. The lower tilt pin 43 also moves out of contact with valve stem I9a, enabling poppet valve I 9 to straighten by its own weight sothat valve head I 9-?) is again flatly seated in valve seat I8b. As water flows through pressure chamber I5, some of this water enters the pressure dome I6 through bore 24 of diaphragm insert 23, so that the pressure dome I6 gradually fills up. When the pressure dome It is completely filled, its internal water pressure is the same as the water pressure in pressure chamber l5, and the valve cylinder I8 and resilient diaphragm I1 are again lowered until the diaphragm l1 seals the top of discharge pipe I 8 and halts the flow of water therethrough.

The aforementioned operation is typical of the normal metered operation of a conventional flush valve assembly, the amount of water discharged being dependent upon the size of the bore 24 in diaphragm insert 23. The smaller the bore 24, the longer the time consumed in refilling the pressure chamber l5 may now enter the pressure dome I6 tilts the poppet valve I9 in the'manner' previously described, and also moves the ring 52 out of contact with the latch 41. The rearward movement of lower tiltpin 43 moves the lower endof latch 41 rearwardly, causing said latch to pivot forwardly, as shown-in Fig. 3, the lug 59 of needle valve 56' extending Well within the notch 49 of latch 41. s

As the poppet valve I9 is tilted, the head pressure in pressure dome IB- is broken, as previously described, and the pressure of thewater' in the pressure chamber I5 lifts the diaphragm IT and valve cylinder I8, enabling water to flow through discharge tube I4. Since the needle valve lu 59 is engaged by latch tooth 50, the valve cylinder I8 rises relative to the needle valve 56, bringing the by-pass bore 54 out of contact with the point of said needle valve 56, said needle valve 56 being held in a downward position against thetension of spring 6t).v The water flowing through pressure normal operation, with the result that the top I of discharge tube I4 is closed oh" more quickly by diaphragm I1, and a lesser amount of water is discharged through discharge tube '14..

' tion has been shown and described herein, it is obvious that numerous additions, changes, and

amount may be regulated by varying the size of by-pass bore- 54.

When the hand-le 33-is released, the tilt pins 1 42. and. 43 take their normal alined positions of Fig. l, the latch 41 pivoting to-its vertical position, but still engaging-the needle valve lug' 5'9" and holding needle valve 56 in its downward position;- Whenthe pressure dome I6 completely refills, and the diaphragm I1 and-valve cylinder l8 are lowered toclose off the toner discharge tube. I4, as'shown in Fig, l, the by-pass bore54 islowered into c'ontact'with the point of needle valve 55, and theenti'revalve' assembly is again its inoperative-position. Whilea preferred embodiment of our invenomissions may be madein the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A flush valve assembly comprising a housing having a water inlet and a water outlet, a resilient diaphragm normally closing off said Water outlet, manual operating means adapted to regulate water pressurewithin said housing in order tomove said diaphragm and enable water to flow from said water inlet to said water outlet, valve means regulated by said manual operating means, said diaphragm having an unobstructed 7. when said valve means is actuated, saidmanual operating means being adapted to be brought to a first operative position and ,a second operative position, and connecting meanscoupled to said operating means and movable into contact with said valve means for actuation thereof when said.

operating means is brought to its first operative position, and out of contact with said valve'means when said operatingmeans is brought to its second operative position. a

2. A flush valve assembly comprising a'housing having a water inlet adapted to be connected to a source of water under pressure, a waterout" let, a resilient'diaphragm normally maintained by the'pressure of water thereabove ina position in which it closes off. said water outlet, a valve.

unit adapted to be actuated to release the water pressure above said diaphragm to enable the water pressure below said diaphragm to raise said diaphragm out of its sealed relation withsaid water outlet, whereby water is free to flow from said water inlet to said water outlet, operating means adapted to be selectively brought to a' first operating position and to a second operating position in which positions said valve unit is actuated, said diaphragm having an Opening pee sitioned toequalize the water pressure above and below said diaphragm to cause said diaphragm to settle to its closed position, said diaphragm also having an auxiliary openingj's'aid flush valve as-. sembly also having movable valve means normally biased into sealing engagement said auxiliary opening, said operating means having a detent member movably mounted to engage and hold said valve means spaced from said auxiliary opening when said operating means isbrought to only one of its operating positions.

3. A flush valve assembly having a housing which has a water outlet and a water inlet adapted to be connected to a source of water heldby the pressure of water thereabove in a position in which it covers said water outlet, a poppet valve associated with said diaphragm and adapted to be tilted to release said water pres sure above said diaphragm and cause the water pressure below said diaphragm to raise said diaphragm and uncover said water outlet, an Operating handle pivotally mounted on said housing and adapted to be brought to an upward and a downward operative position, means connecting said operating handle with said poppet valve,

said connecting means being adapted to tilt said under pressure, a resilient diaphragm normally 8, diaphragm to'return to its closed position in a selected period of time, said diaphragm also having an auxiliary opening, said flush valve assembly having a needle valve which is normally biased to a position in which it closes said auxiliary opening, and latch means coupled to said connecting means and movable thereby to engage and hold said needle valve out of engagement with said auxiliary opening when said handle is brought to its upward operative position, whereby the diaphragm presents two openings to enable the water pressure in said housing to equalize in less than said selected period of time, said latch means being rendered inoperative by said connecting means when .said handle is brought to its downward operating position. I

' 4. A flush valve assembly according to claim 3 in which the connecting means comprises a pair of tilt pins slldably mounted in said housing in vertical alinement with each other, said handle member having a planar inner surface which abuts the outer ends of said tilt pins, the inner surface of said operating handle being adapted to press the upper tilt pin inwardly within said casing when said operating handle is pivoted upwardly, and to pivot the lower tilt pin inwardly when said operating handle is pivoted downwardly, the inner ends of said tilt pins being located adjacent said poppet valve, whereby said poppet valve is tilted when one of said pins is pressed inwardly.

5. A flush valve assembly according to claim 4 in which the latch means is pivotally mounted on said lower tilt pin and in which means are provided to pivot said latch means rearwardly out of latched engagement with the needle valve when said lower tilt pin is pressed inwardly.

6. A flush valve assembly according to claim 4 in which the tilt pins are biased outwardly to a normal inoperative position in which they abut the planar inner surface of the operating handle, said latch means being pivotally mounted on said lower tilt pin, said upper tilt pin' having a projection which abuts the front end of said latch means in the normal inoperative positions of said tilt pins.

PAT ROMAN ELLI. CHARLES MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Q A UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,015,003 Brown Sept. 17, 1935 

